Remota, Puerto Natales

$400 or more

Ruta 9 Norte
Puerto Natales
Chile
Tel: 56 2 387 1500
remota.cl

From the editors of Condé Nast Traveler:

The pretty Patagonian fishing village of Puerto Natalesskuas, petrels, and albatross whirling overheadis isolated from the rest of Chile by fjords, canals, and inlets, with the peaks of the Torres del Paine park visible just over 40 miles away. Amid this ode to nature, iconoclastic Chilean architect Germàn del Sol has threaded a group of severe edifices, their blackened wood-and-felt exteriors echoing the basalt strata of the Torres del Paine massif: Weight-bearing spars are vertically skewed, giant ventilation shafts protrude, windows are jagged-cut. The 72 ample-sized guest rooms, done in slate and untreated wood with vibrant sunflower-yellow accents, are in structures that zigzag with the sloping ground. A factory-sized building houses the lobby, reading rooms, and restaurant (locally caught seafood is a specialty). The impressive spa includes two ten-person saunas and an infinity pool that reflects Patagonia's constantly changing skies. 2006 Hot List

When to go: Summer (Dec.Feb.) is best, although Patagonia's weather is fickle year-round.

Which room to book: The square footage is standard, so choose between views: either Last Hope Sound or the distant peaks of the Paine range (doubles, $527, all-inclusive).